Volcanic ash cloud: Schools could close due to volcano chaos

Schools may be forced to close this week as hundreds of teachers remain
stranded abroad because of the volcano ash cloud.

Head teachers across the country were yesterday studying contingency plans – many of which were drawn up during the problems with snow earlier this year - but accept that they might not know the full extent of the crisis until this morning.

There were warnings that some secondary schools might be forced to cancel lessons for younger pupils to allow those teachers present to concentrate on pupils who have exams coming up.

In a further twist, the teaching union NASUWT said that one local authority was apparently threatening to dock the pay of teachers who could not return to work, telling them they must claim the shortfall through their insurance.

The education sector is being particularly badly hit by the ongoing crisis because teachers have to take their holidays at the same time, depending on when their school is closed for the Easter holidays. Many teachers leading organised school trips will still be away from the classroom, combined with those who were simply on holiday.

While some pupils may be given an extended break, thousands more are still stranded abroad on their own Easter holidays.

Many schools will be turning to supply teachers in the coming days, placing an extra burden on their budgets.

Whilst some schools which had early holidays are already back, the majority of pupils and teachers across the country are due to return today or next Monday.

Chris Keates, general secretary of NASUWT, said she expected “pretty much” every school to be affected, either through teachers or pupils being absent.

She said: “Schools do have contingency plans to deal with these sorts of problems because whether it is a flu epidemic, severe weather or volcano ash the impact on the school is the same.

“However this is so widespread I can see that schools could close, the most likely being primary schools.

“Secondary schools, with pupils sitting important exams and there are more staff, may have to look at using available staff to cover exam lessons instead of teaching years seven or eight.”

She said a teacher from the Coventry area had been in touch saying she had been told by her local education authority that it would be docking the pay of any teacher not reporting for work, and that they would have to recoup any lost money through their travel insurers.

She said: “This is yet again another case of the sort of unreasonable reaction we get from some schools and councils.

“There’s an international crisis going on but instead of looking after the welfare of the school and its pupils, their first thought is to punish teachers.”

The Local Government Association said it was not widespread policy to take such action, whilst Coventry City Council, the local education authority, issued a staunch denial, saying any such allegations were not true.

Martin Ward, the deputy general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders said: “No doubt many schools will be short staffed on Monday because of teachers being stranded abroad.”

“However, except in very small schools, this hopefully will not cause major disruption as schools have good contingency plans in place to cope with teacher absence. We will have a better picture on Monday when schools return for the new term.”

In Hertfordshire alone, 352 children are stuck abroad on school trips in 11 different countries from Iceland to Hong Kong.

One head teacher in London has reported he has at least 12 teachers stranded overseas. Mark Southworth, head teacher of Woodcote High School in Croydon, said at least 14 per cent of his workforce would be missing.

Cassandra Williams, who had been expecting to start her new job as head teacher in Norfolk on Monday, is among thousands of Britons stranded.

Miss Williams, who is currently in Hong Kong, said: "There are lots of children meant to be taking GCSEs and A levels and

they are very worried about when they might be able to fly to get home."

Amongst those children who will not be returning to school are the two sons of Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, who

spent half term with their grandmother in Spain.

He said: "[My wife] Miriam and spent hours on the phone trying to get through to Ryanair yesterday… I think we're like so many other people and we'll just have to wait until this volcanic cloud disappears."

Cambridge University has already been forced to cancel examinations due to take place this week as dozens of students and examiners are still trapped abroad.

A spokesman for the Local Government Association said he was not aware of any schools closures or widespread difficulties but said the picture would become clearer in the next 48 hours.